Touch sensor panel having an index matching passivation layer

ABSTRACT

Touch sensor panels typically include a plurality of layers that can be stacked on top of each other. When the touch sensor panel is used in a bright environment, incident light can hit the interfaces between those layers of the stackup having mismatched refractive indices and can reflect off those interfaces. The light reflected from those interfaces can give rise to the appearance of fringes on the touch sensor panel, which can be visually distracting. In order to reduce the appearance of these fringes, embodiments of the disclosure are directed to the addition of an index matching passivation layer between a conductive layer of traces and an adhesive layer in the touch sensor panel stackup.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. §119(e), of U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 61/558,840, filed Nov. 11, 2011, andentitled “Touch Sensor Panel Having An Index Matching PassivationLayer,” the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein intheir entirety for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This relates generally to a touch sensor panel and, more particularly,to the construction of a touch sensor panel having an index matchingpassivation layer that reduces the appearance of fringes on the touchsensor panel.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Many types of input devices are presently available for performingoperations in a computing system, such as buttons or keys, mice,trackballs, joysticks, touch sensor panels, touch screens and the like.Touch screens, in particular, are becoming increasingly popular becauseof their ease and versatility of operation as well as their decliningprice. Touch screens can include a touch sensor panel, which can be aclear panel with a touch-sensitive surface, and a display device such asa liquid crystal display (LCD) that can be positioned partially or fullybehind the panel so that the touch-sensitive surface can cover at leasta portion of the viewable area of the display device. Touch screens canallow a user to perform various functions by touching the touch sensorpanel using a finger, stylus or other object at a location oftendictated by a user interface (UI) being displayed by the display device.In general, touch screens can recognize a touch event and the positionof the touch event on the touch sensor panel, and the computing systemcan then interpret the touch event in accordance with the displayappearing at the time of the touch event, and thereafter can perform oneor more actions based on the touch event.

Touch sensor panels typically include a plurality of layers that can bestacked on top of each other. This stackup can include a matrix of drivelines and sense lines formed of a substantially transparent conductivematerial, such as Indium Tin Oxide (ITO), and a substrate disposedbetween the drive and sense lines. When the touch sensor panel is usedin a bright environment, incident light can hit the interfaces betweenthose layers of the stackup having mismatched refractive indices and canreflect off those interfaces. The light reflected from those interfacescan give rise to the appearance of fringes on the touch sensor panel,which can be visually distracting.

SUMMARY

Touch sensor panels typically include a plurality of layers that can bestacked on top of each other. When the touch sensor panel is used in abright environment, incident light can hit the interfaces between thoselayers of the stackup having mismatched refractive indices and canreflect off those interfaces. The light reflected from those interfacescan give rise to the appearance of fringes on the touch sensor panel,which can be visually distracting. In order to reduce the appearance ofthese fringes, embodiments of the disclosure are directed to theaddition of an index matching passivation layer between a conductivelayer of traces and an adhesive layer in the touch sensor panel stackup.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A illustrates an example mobile telephone according to embodimentsof the disclosure.

FIG. 1B illustrates an example media player according to embodiments ofthe disclosure.

FIG. 1C illustrates an example tablet computer according to embodimentsof the disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example DITO touch sensor panel stackup accordingto embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates the reflection of light off of two interfaces createdby adjacent layers having mismatched refractive indices according toembodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates a fringe pattern that can appear when light reflectsoff of two interfaces created by adjacent layers having mismatchedrefractive indices according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example DITO touch sensor panel stackup having anindex matching passivation layer according to embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary computing system utilizing a touchsensor panel stackup having an index matching passivation layeraccording to embodiments of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, reference is made to the accompanyingdrawings which form a part hereof, and in which it is shown by way ofillustration specific embodiments that can be practiced. It is to beunderstood that other embodiments can be used and structural changes canbe made without departing from the scope of the embodiments of thisdisclosure.

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to a touch sensor panel having anindex matching passivation layer that can reduce the appearance offringes on the touch sensor panel. Touch sensor panels are generallycomprised of numerous layers that together form a stackup. This stackupcan include a substrate layer that can be formed from either glass orplastic. Touch sensor panels with plastic substrates can be lessexpensive and can be made thinner than touch sensor panels with glasssubstrates. However, the use of a stackup with adjacent layers havingmismatched refractive indices can result in the appearance of fringes.These fringes can appear on the touch sensor panel and can be visuallydistracting. These fringes can form when incident light hitting themismatched interfaces interfere with each other. This interferencepattern can give rise to the appearance of fringes. In order to reducethe appearance of these fringes, embodiments of the disclosure aredirected to the addition of an index matching passivation layer betweenan ITO layer and an adhesive layer in the touch sensor panel stackup.

FIGS. 1A-1C show example systems in which touch sensor panels accordingto embodiments of the disclosure may be implemented. FIG. 1A illustratesan example mobile telephone 136 that includes a touch sensor panel 124and display device 130. FIG. 1B illustrates an example media player 140that includes a touch sensor panel 144 and display device 148. FIG. 1Cillustrates an example tablet computer 150 that includes a touch sensorpanel 154 and display device 158. In each of FIGS. 1A-1C, the displaydevice can be disposed under the touch sensor panel. Touch sensing canbe based on, for example, self capacitance or mutual capacitance, oranother touch sensing technology. In some embodiments, a touch screencan be multi-touch, single touch, projection scan, full-imagingmulti-touch, or any other type of capacitive touch sensing mechanism.

Touch sensor panels 124, 144, and 154 can be formed from Dual-sidedIndium Tin Oxide (DITO) touch sensor panel stackup 202 illustrated inFIG. 2. Although FIG. 2 illustrates a DITO stackup, touch sensor panels124, 144, and 154 can also be formed from a stackup of two substrates,each substrate having an ITO layer formed thereon (not shown). Coverglass 204 or other suitable cover material can be disposed on the toplayer of stackup 202. A user can touch cover glass 204 using a finger,stylus, or other object. A touch controller (not shown) can interpretthese touch events to perform various functions. Adhesive 208 can liebelow cover glass 204. In an exemplary embodiment, adhesive 208 can be apressure sensitive adhesive that adheres ITO layer 212 to cover glass204. ITO layer 212 can be made from a substantially transparentconductive material and can include a matrix of traces (e.g., drivelines, sense lines). Index matching layer 216 can lie below ITO layer212 and can be used to reduce the visibility of the drive lines andsense lines in the touch sensor panel. Hard coat 220 can lie below indexmatching layer 216 and can act as a protective barrier for substrate224. Substrate 224 can be formed from a variety of materials including,for example, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), cyclo-olefin polymer(COP), or glass.

In the DITO stackup of FIG. 2, another hard coat 228, index matchinglayer 232, ITO layer 236, and adhesive 240 can be placed below substrate224. These layers can provide the same functionality as the similarlynamed layers above substrate 224. Anti-reflection film 244 can be placedbelow adhesive 240.

When a touch sensor panel having stackup 202 is used in a brightenvironment, light that reflects off the touch sensor panel can resultin the appearance of fringes. FIG. 3 schematically illustrates how thesefringes can form.

FIG. 3 illustrates a touch sensor panel stackup 202 that is identical tothe stackup illustrated in FIG. 2. With regard to both figures,similarly numbered elements can have the same functionality. Whenincident light 304 hits touch sensor panel stackup 202, light canreflect off the touch sensor panel stackup as reflected rays 308 and312. Light ray 308 can reflect off the interface between adhesive 208and ITO 212 layer. Light ray 312 can reflect off the interface betweenITO layer 236 and adhesive 240.

Due to the large difference in refractive indices, n, between the ITOlayer (n approximately equal to 1.9) and adhesive (n approximately equalto 1.45-1.5) at both interfaces, reflected light rays 308 and 312 caninterfere with each other to form reflectance peaks and valleys. Thesereflections can appear as fringes on the touch sensor panel. Theseverity of these fringes can vary depending on the thickness ofsubstrate 224 and can become more apparent as this thickness decreases.Generally, these fringes become noticeable when the thickness of thesubstrate falls below 150 μm. These fringes can form the visualartifacts illustrated in FIG. 4.

In order to reduce the appearance of fringes, embodiments of thedisclosure are directed to the insertion of an index matchingpassivation (IMPAS) layer between the adhesive and the ITO layer. Thislayer's presence can substantially reduce the amount of interference atthe adhesive-ITO interface.

FIG. 5 illustrates a DITO touch sensor panel stackup 502 that has anindex matching passivation layer. The configuration of stackup 502 canbe similar to stackup 202. Stackup 502 can have a cover glass 504,adhesive 508 (which, in some embodiments, can be a pressure sensitiveadhesive), ITO layer 512, index matching layer 516, hard coat 520, andsubstrate 524. With regard to FIGS. 2 and 5, similarly named layers canhave the same characteristics.

Unlike stackup 202, stackup 502 has an additional index matchingpassivation layer 550 positioned between adhesive 508 and ITO layer 512.The presence of index matching passivation layer 550 can reduce theamount of reflection at the adhesive-ITO interface which, in turn, canreduce the interference of the reflected light and the appearance offringes on the touch sensor panel. Although index matching passivationlayer 550 is illustrated as a single layer in FIG. 5, this layer can beformed from a plurality of index matching passivation layers. In someembodiments, the total thickness of index matching passivation layer 550can range from 2-15 μm.

In the DITO stackup of FIG. 5, another hard coat 528, index matchinglayer 532, ITO layer 536, and adhesive 540 can be placed below substrate524. An additional index matching passivation layer 560 can also beplaced between ITO layer 536 and adhesive 540. These layers can have thesame characteristics as the similarly named layers above substrate 524.Anti-reflection film 544 can be placed below adhesive 540.

It should be noted that index matching passivation layers 550 and 560are different from index matching layers 516 and 532. As explainedabove, an index matching layer can be placed between an ITO layer andhard coat in order to reduce the visibility of traces in the ITO layer.As is known in the art, the visibility of these traces can depend on thedifference in reflectance between the ITO layer and the index matchinglayer. Whether the ITO traces are visible, however, is unrelated to theinterference of reflected light as described above with respect to theappearance of fringes. Disclosed embodiments add an additional indexmatching layer to the adhesive-ITO layer interface to address adifferent problem (reflections and fringes) that is localized to adifferent part of the touch sensor panel stackup.

The following paragraphs describe the selection of the IMPAS layer'srefractive index and the materials used to form this layer.

The refractive index of the IMPAS layer should be selected such that theappearance of fringes is reduced. This generally occurs when thereflectance at the IMPAS-adhesive interface and the reflectance at theIMPAS-ITO layer interface follow the following guidelines.

First, the percentage of reflectance at each interface should be small(i.e., <1%) for a given IMPAS layer refractive index. Second, thepercentage of reflectance at both interfaces can be approximately equalto each other for a given IMPAS layer refractive index. The relativeimportance of these guidelines can be accorded equal or differentweights. Computer simulations were performed to determine the percentageof reflectance at each interface for different IMPAS layer refractiveindices. The results are shown in the following table:

TABLE 1 Simulation Results for Interface Reflectance Values. InterfaceReflectance (%) IMPAS Layer Adhesive (n = 1.45) - IMPAS Layer -Refractive Index IMPAS Layer ITO Layer (n = 1.9) 1.5 0.03 1.38 1.55 0.111.03 1.6 0.24 0.73 1.65 0.42 0.50 1.7 0.63 0.31 1.75 0.88 0.17

The above simulation assumes that the refractive indices of the adhesiveand the ITO layer are equal to 1.45 and 1.9, respectively. As shown inthe table, increasing the refractive index of the IMPAS layer canincrease the percentage of reflectance at the adhesive-IMPAS layerinterface and can decrease the percentage of reflectance at the IMPASlayer-ITO layer interface. With regard to the first guideline, interfacereflectance can be small (i.e., less than 1%) when the refractive indexof the IMPAS layer is equal to 1.6, 1.65, 1.7, or 1.75. Given thetrajectory of reflectance percentages at these discrete IMPAS layerrefractive indices, a person of ordinary skill in the art wouldrecognize that a range of refractive indices from 1.6 to 1.75 can alsoyield internal reflectances less than 1%. With regard to the secondguideline, the interface reflectances are approximately equal to eachother when the refractive index of the IMPAS layer is equal to 1.65(i.e., compare 0.42 v. 0.50).

The above simulation results indicate that selecting a refractive indexfor the IMPAS layer between the refractive indices of the adhesive andthe ITO layer can reduce the appearance of fringes. A refractive indexof 1.65 can greatly reduce the fringe effect. A refractive index of1.6-1.64 and 1.66-1.75 can also be helpful in reducing the appearance offringes but may be less effective.

The material used to form the IMPAS layer can be selected based on thedesired range of refractive indices. As explained above, a refractiveindex from 1.6-1.75 can reduce the appearance of fringes. Passivationlayers are generally formed from an acrylic material which can have arefractive index of 1.5. In an exemplary embodiment, an additionalmaterial can be added to the acrylic in order to raise the refractiveindex of the IMPAS layer to the desired 1.6-1.75 range. Table 2 listsdifferent materials that can be used to form the IMPAS layer and thelayer's resulting refractive index.

TABLE 2 Materials Added to IMPAS Layer and Resulting Refractive IndexResulting Material Added to Acrylic Refractive Index to Form IMPAS Layer(@ 633 nm) TiO₂ (Rutile) 2.72 TiO₂ (Anatase) 2.52 ZnO 1.95 ZrO₂1.67-1.70

As can be seen from Table 2, adding ZrO₂ to the acrylic material canresult in an IMPAS layer with a refractive index of 1.67-1.70. Becausethe resulting refractive index falls within the desired 1.6-1.75 range,the ZrO₂-acrylic combination can be useful in reducing the fringeeffect. Although the other materials listed in Table 2 can also be addedto the IMPAS layer, these materials may not be as effective in reducingthe appearance of fringes.

FIG. 6 illustrates exemplary computing system 600 that can include oneor more of the embodiments described above. Computing system 600 caninclude one or more panel processors 602 and peripherals 604, and panelsubsystem 605. Peripherals 604 can include, but are not limited to,random access memory (RAM) or other types of memory or storage, watchdogtimers and the like. Panel subsystem 605 can include, but is not limitedto, one or more sense channels 608, channel scan logic 610 and driverlogic 614. Channel scan logic 610 can access RAM 612, autonomously readdata from the sense channels and provide control for the sense channels.In addition, channel scan logic 610 can control driver logic 614 togenerate stimulation signals 616 at various frequencies and phases thatcan be selectively applied to drive lines of touch sensor panel 624. Insome embodiments, panel subsystem 605, panel processor 602 andperipherals 604 can be integrated into a single application specificintegrated circuit (ASIC).

Touch sensor panel 624 can be formed from a stackup having one or moresubstrates. As disclosed above, this stackup can include multiple indexmatching passivation layers positioned between multiple adhesive and ITOlayers. The index matching passivation layers can reduce the appearanceof fringes that can form when light rays reflected from the ITO/adhesiveinterfaces interfere with each other. Touch sensor panel 624 can includea capacitive sensing medium having a plurality of drive lines and aplurality of sense lines formed on the ITO layer, although other sensingmedia can also be used. Each intersection of drive and sense lines canrepresent a capacitive sensing node and can be viewed as picture element(pixel) 626, which can be particularly useful when touch sensor panel624 is viewed as capturing an “image” of touch. After panel subsystem605 has determined whether a touch event has been detected at each touchsensor in the touch sensor panel, the pattern of touch sensors in themulti-touch panel at which a touch event occurred can be viewed as an“image” of touch (e.g. a pattern of fingers touching the panel). Eachsense line of touch sensor panel 624 can drive sense channel 608 (alsoreferred to herein as an event detection and demodulation circuit) inpanel subsystem 605.

Although the disclosed embodiments have been fully described withreference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that variouschanges and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in theart. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as beingincluded within the scope of the disclosed embodiments as defined by theappended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A touch sensor panel stackup, comprising: aplurality of conductive material layers having a first refractive index;a plurality of adhesive layers having a second refractive index, eachadhesive layer paired with a conductive material layer for adhering theconductive material layer to additional material; a first index matchingpassivation layer disposed between a first conductive material layer anda first adhesive layer, and a second index matching passivation layerdisposed between a second conductive material layer and a secondadhesive layer, wherein: the first and second index matching passivationlayers, the first and second conductive material layers, and the firstand second adhesive layers are separate layers, the first and secondindex matching passivation layers have a third refractive index that isbetween the first and second refractive indices and are disposed on afirst side of each of the first and second conductive material layers,respectively; and first and second index matching layers are disposed oneach of a second side of the first and second conductive materiallayers, respectively.
 2. The touch sensor panel stackup of claim 1,wherein the third refractive index of the first and second indexmatching passivation layers is selected to reduce light reflected froman interface between the first conductive material layer and firstadhesive layer, and also between the second conductive material layerand the second adhesive layer.
 3. The touch sensor panel stackup ofclaim 1, wherein plurality of conductive material layers are configuredas a drive line layer and a sense line layer formed on opposite sides ofa substrate.
 4. The touch sensor panel stackup of claim 1, wherein thetouch sensor panel stackup is incorporated with a display device to forma touch screen.
 5. The touch sensor panel stackup of claim 1, whereinthe touch screen is incorporated into a computing device.
 6. A touchsensor panel, comprising: a first conductive layer of traces; a firstadhesive; a first set of one or more index matching passivation layersseparate from and disposed between the first adhesive and a first sideof the first conductive layer of traces; a second conductive layer oftraces; a second adhesive; a second set of one or more index matchingpassivation layers separate from and disposed between the secondadhesive and a first side of the second conductive layer of traces,wherein the index matching passivation layers in the first and secondsets are selected to reduce the interference of light reflected from afirst interface between the first adhesive and the first conductivelayer of traces and from a second interface between the second adhesiveand the second conductive layer of traces; and a set of one or moreindex matching layers disposed on a second side of the first and secondconductive layer of traces.
 7. The touch sensor panel of claim 6,wherein the one or more index matching passivation layers in the firstset have a refractive index that is between the refractive indices ofthe first adhesive and the first conductive layer of traces, and whereinthe one or more index matching passivation layers in the second set havea refractive index that is between the refractive indices of the secondadhesive and the second conductive layer of traces.
 8. The touch sensorpanel of claim 7, wherein the one or more index matching passivationlayers in the first and second sets have a refractive index from 1.6 to1.75.
 9. The touch sensor panel of claim 6, wherein the one or moreindex matching passivation layers in the first and second sets are madefrom acrylic and an additive, the additive selected from a groupconsisting of rutile, anatase, ZnO, and ZrO₂.
 10. The touch sensor panelof claim 6, wherein each of the first and second sets of one or moreindex matching passivation layers has a combined thickness of 2-15 μm.11. The touch sensor panel of claim 6, wherein the first and secondconductive layer of traces are made from Indium Tin Oxide.
 12. The touchsensor panel of claim 6, wherein the first and second adhesives are apressure sensitive adhesive.
 13. The touch sensor panel of claim 6,wherein the touch sensor panel is incorporated with a computing system.14. A touch sensor panel, comprising: a first conductive layer oftraces; a first adhesive; a first set of one or more index matchingpassivation layers separate from and disposed between the first adhesiveand a first side of the first conductive layer of traces; a secondconductive layer of traces; a second adhesive; a second set of one ormore index matching passivation layers separate from and disposedbetween the second adhesive and a first side of the second conductivelayer of traces, wherein the index matching passivation layers in thefirst set reduces a percentage of light reflectance at a first interfacebetween the index matching passivation layers in the first set and thefirst adhesive and at a second interface between the index matchingpassivation layers in the first set and the first conductive layer oftraces, and wherein the index matching passivation layers in the secondset reduces a percentage of light reflectance at a third interfacebetween the index matching passivation layers in the second set and thesecond adhesive and at a fourth interface between the index matchingpassivation layers in the second set and the second conductive layer oftraces; and a set of one or more index matching layers disposed on asecond side of the first and second conductive layer of traces.
 15. Thetouch sensor panel of claim 14, wherein the percentage of lightreflectance at the first interface is approximately equal to thepercentage of light reflectance at the second interface, and wherein thepercentage of light reflectance at the third interface is approximatelyequal to the percentage of light reflectance at the fourth interface.16. The touch sensor panel of claim 14, wherein the percentage of lightreflectance at each of the first, second, third, and fourth interfacesis less than 1%.
 17. A method of reducing the appearance of fringes on atouch sensor panel having a first and second conductive layer of traces,a first and second adhesive, and a first and second index matchinglayer, the method comprising: forming a first and second set of one ormore index matching passivation layers, the first and second sets of oneor more index matching passivation layers separate from the first andsecond conductive layers of traces, the first and second adhesive, andthe first and second index matching layer; disposing the first set ofindex matching passivation layers between the first conductive layer oftraces and the first adhesive; disposing the second set of indexmatching passivation layers between the second conductive layer oftraces and the second adhesive; and using the first and second sets ofindex matching passivation layers to reduce the interference of lightreflected from a first interface between the first adhesive and thefirst conductive layer of traces and from a second interface between thesecond adhesive and the second conductive layer of traces.
 18. Themethod of claim 17, further comprising: selecting a refractive index forthe index matching passivation layers in the first set that is betweenthe refractive indices of the first adhesive and the first conductivelayer of traces; and selecting a refractive index for the index matchingpassivation layers in the second set that is between the refractiveindices of the second adhesive and the second conductive layer oftraces.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the index matchingpassivation layers in the first and second sets have a refractive indexfrom 1.6 to 1.75.
 20. The method of claim 17, further comprising formingthe index matching passivation layers in the first and second sets fromacrylic and an additive, the additive selected from a group consistingof rutile, anatase, ZnO, and ZrO₂.
 21. A method of reducing theappearance of fringes on a touch sensor panel having a first and secondconductive layer of traces, a first and second adhesive, and a first andsecond index matching layer, the method comprising: forming a first andsecond set of one or more index matching passivation layers, the firstand second sets of one or more index matching passivation layersseparate from the first and second conductive layers of traces, thefirst and second adhesive, and the first and second index matchinglayer; disposing the first set of index matching passivation layersbetween the first conductive layer of traces and the first adhesive;disposing the second set of index matching passivation layers betweenthe second conductive layer of traces and the second adhesive; using theindex matching passivation layers in the first set to reduce apercentage of light reflectance at a first interface between the indexmatching passivation layers in the first set and the first adhesive andat a second interface between the index matching passivation layers inthe first set and the first conductive layer of traces; and using theindex matching passivation layers in the second set to reduce apercentage of light reflectance at a third interface between the indexmatching passivation layers in the second set and the second adhesiveand at a fourth interface between the index matching passivation layersin the second set and the second conductive layer of traces.
 22. Themethod of claim 21, wherein the percentage of light reflectance at thefirst interface is approximately equal to the percentage of lightreflectance at the second interface, and wherein the percentage of lightreflectance at the third interface is approximately equal to thepercentage of light reflectance at the fourth interface.
 23. The methodof claim 21, wherein the percentage of light reflectance at each of thefirst, second, third, and fourth interfaces is less than 1%.